


How Do You Plead? (Guilty, Your Honor.)

by shonikinnie



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, As Should You, Emotional Trauma, Eventual Fluff, F/F, F/M, Human AU, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Language, No Smut, Panic Attacks, Slow Burn, camilia is a good mom, i believe in taller luz supremacy, i think, if that wasn’t obvious, juror!luz, lawyer!amity, protective eda, some making out, the kids are aged up, there will be tw, this is too many tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:49:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27100741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shonikinnie/pseuds/shonikinnie
Summary: Luz has her hands full as a double major in Psychology and Art, while at the same time trying to make life easier for her Mami.And then she finds herself sitting in court, after being formally called up for jury service.OrAmity is a lawyer who comes back to her hometown for a case. Luz becomes part of the jury.And well.We’ll see how that goes, ey?
Relationships: Amity Blight & Edric Blight & Emira Blight, Amity Blight & Mr.Blight & Mrs. Blight, Amity Blight & Willow Park, Amity Blight/Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne & Luz Noceda, Luz Noceda & Willow Park & Gus Porter
Comments: 25
Kudos: 115





	1. A Day In The Life Of A Tired Uni Student

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, welcome. 
> 
> I kinda forgot how ao3 works so please bear with me. Apart from this one I have like...so many other lumity fics and oneshots in the works atm pls help 
> 
> I’m not sure how often this story will be updated since I’m busy studying, but I’ll make sure to update AT LEAST twice a week. Unless something changes then I will obviously say so. 
> 
> Also the spanish in this isn’t a lot bc I barely remember any spanish from school. So google translator it is.
> 
> Aight, enjoy the read!
> 
> PS: english isn’t my first language. also thank you to my older sibling, whom i have definitely not forced to watch TOH, for beta reading.

The rays of sunshine that slowly flooded through the open window cast the room in a soft, golden tint. Outside, as the sun rose higher into the baby blue sky, more leaves fell to the ground, signaling the slow but steady end of summer.

A soft breeze blew into the room, raising goosebumps on Luz’ arms, as she silently chastised herself for leaving the window open again.

“ _Mija!_ ”

Groaning, Luz pulled the covers over her head. She could deal with the light seeping into the room this early in the morning. All she had to do was close her eyes and ignore it. What she could _not_ deal with this early in the morning, was her mother yelling for her.

There was a knock at her door before she heard it softly creak open.

_Seriously, what’s the point of knocking-_

“Mija, you’ll be late for your lecture if you don’t get up now,” her mom said, as she approached her barely-awake-mess of a daughter.

“5 more minutes,” Luz muttered against the pillow, where her face was pressed into the soft fabric.

She almost sighed in relief when she didn’t hear an immediate reply.

Oh, how _wrong_ she’d been.

The covers were suddenly gone, and she shivered at the cool morning air against her skin. She still didn’t make an effort to get out of bed, instead curling into a ball and hugging her own midriff for any possible warmth.

“Luz, te quiero mucho, but it’s 10:45 and you _will_ be late if you don’t get ready _right now_.”

She grumbled something incoherent, as the words processed in her barely functional brain. Huh, maybe it wasn’t that early in the morning, after all.

Wait. _10:45_.

“Shit!” Luz yelped, as she hurriedly pushed herself off the mattress. Her foot somehow got caught in the bed sheets and she tumbled to the floor.

 _At least I’m awake now_.

Luz immediately jumped back to her feet and shot her mom a thumbs up before dashing to the bathroom, leaving a sighing Camilia behind.

Once in the bathroom, Luz took a quick look at herself. Her short hair was messier than messy, soft locks standing up in every possible direction, some strands falling into her eyes. To be quite frank, she looked like she’d been struck by lightning. Nevertheless, she shot herself some finger guns before she tried to weave her hands through her hair. When that didn’t work, she pulled out her trusty comb. She could always rely on her comb.

While going through her morning routine she stifled multiple yawns here and there. Maybe she shouldn’t have read _The Good Witch Azura_ until the early hours for what was probably the millionth time, she should’ve just gone to sleep.

Dashing back into her room, she quickly changed into some black ripped jeans and a grey t-shirt, throwing a random green flannel onto her shoulder. Not even checking herself over, she grabbed her backpack, and without any further thoughts Luz hurriedly ran down the stairs, almost tripping over the carpet. She was about to reach for the door handle when her mom’s voice rang out to her from the kitchen. “ _Not_ so fast.”

Internally groaning she poked her head around the corner.

“Your lunch,” her mom said, holding out a brown paper bag and a bottle of water for her.

“Oh.”

Luz gave a sheepish smile, as she grabbed the items and stuffed them into her backpack before she planted a quick kiss onto her mom’s cheek. “Thanks, Mami.”

Camilia was about to reply, but her daughter was already out the door. The older woman let out an amused chuckle, while lovingly shaking her head. “Ay, niño, que voy a hacer contigo.”

Outside, Luz hopped onto her fairly old mountain bike and jet off onto the streets.

_If I hurry up, I might make it a good few minutes before the lecture._

Willing her legs to pedal faster, she grabbed onto her flannel that was still thrown over her right shoulder, making sure it wouldn’t fly away with the wind.

 _God, I hope I brought my notebook_ , she thought, as the University building came into view. She made quick work of jumping off her bike and chaining it to a post before she sprinted through the doors and past a few single other students, that threw her irritated looks. Not that she was paying attention.

 _In fact_ , she was so busy looking at her wristwatch to check the time, that as she dashed around a corner her body slammed into another.

She let out a strained _oof_ before regaining her balance. Looking down she gasped a bit too loudly and immediately reached out a hand. “Willow, I’m so sorry!”

“Don’t worry, only broke a few bones,” her friend replied, as she accepted Luz’ help to get back to her feet.

Luz paused in her movements while her eyes grew wide.

Willow took one look at her slightly taller friends face and immediately her own eyes widened a fraction. “Luz, I’m joking!”

“Ay, _dios mío_. I thought you were serious for a second there,” the Latina chucked nervously, blowing out a breath through puffed cheeks, which only caused Willow to roll her eyes.

Luz was about to strike up a casual conversation, when she remembered why she had run into her friend in the first place. “ _Mierda_ , I’m gonna be late. I have to go but I’ll see you at lunch!” Luz yelled over her shoulder right before she speed walked down the hall.

Something on the ground caught Willow’s eye, and she let out a deep sigh.

_Always so chaotic._

At exactly 11:10 Luz ripped open the door to the lecture hall, effectively gaining the attention of every single student and the Professor, who looked at the clock behind him and raised his eyebrows. “Right on time, Ms. Noceda. Please take a seat, so we can begin.”

A few rapid nods later, she plopped down into a seat in the third row, careful not to sit too close to any of the other students. Even though this wasn’t Highschool anymore and people were more mature around here, she knew there were still some that thought she was _utterly weird_. Even if they were too polite to say so out loud. So, she tried to keep a low profile around others as best as she could. Unless she was with Willow or Gus, of course. Not that she hated the attention, she just didn’t exactly want a repeat of her Highschool experience.

 _No, sir, thank you_.

Luz swiftly opened her backpack, sighing in relief when she saw that she had at least not left her notebook on her desk at home. Pulling out a single pen, she turned her head to the front.

_Not today, ADHD, today we pay attention._

\---

She did _not_ pay attention for 70% of the lecture. Instead, she doodled little sketches of Azura into her notebook, while bouncing her leg up and down beneath the table.

However, she did take notes here and there, which she proudly patted herself on the back for when the Professor dismissed them two hours later. With a not so unusual bounce in her step, Luz made her way to the cafeteria, quickly scanning the tables. Soon enough, her eyes latched onto Willow, who had already spotted her among the other students, and was waving her over.

“You dropped this,” Willow said when Luz finally sat down in front of her, holding out her flannel.

 _Huh_. She must have dropped it in the hallway after crashing into her friend.

“Oh. Thanks, Will, I didn’t even notice.”

Willow smiled at the nickname. It rarely ever slipped from her friend, but she liked it.

After Luz messily threw the flannel on, she opened the brown paper bag that contained her meal. She thanked her Mami in silence, for packing two whole sandwiches. She _really_ had to stop forgetting her food at home.

“So, how was the lecture?” Willow asked before taking a bite out of her own lunch. Which was a single apple. How did _one_ apple equal lunch? She would never understand.

“Uh, good, really good.”

Willow immediately narrowed her eyes. “What was it about?”

“You know, when I get home and look at my notes I will be sure to let you know,” Luz grinned innocently, biting into one of her sandwiches and barely holding back a sound of satisfaction.

 _Dios te bendiga, mamá_.

“How you manage to have B’s in all your assignments, even though you don’t pay attention most of the time, is beyond me,” Willow said, though she could hear the teasing smile in her voice.

“I’m gifted,” Lug shrugged nonchalantly, hiding her own smile behind her sandwich.

The two continued to chat about their day and what was still ahead of them, while enjoying their break. Before they parted ways, they agreed to meet up at _The Owl House Café_ later that day, to catch up with their third friend, and so Luz could check on her old mentor who owned the fine establishment.

Her second lecture of the day passed a lot slower than her first and she was quickly bored out of her mind. After what felt like centuries of listening to her Professor babble on about _visual theory_ , she discreetly pulled her phone out of her pocket and tapped on her group chat with Willow and Gus.

She almost snorted out loud at the name; _Razzle Dazzle Confetti Gang._ It was ridiculous but at the same time none of them had the heart to change it.

**_hey gus we’re gonna come by_ ** **_around 4 ok :3_ **

Tapping her foot against the table leg, she impatiently waited for a response. Almost 10 minutes and one close call with her Professor later, she received a reply from the boy.

_**i’ll have your regulars ready!!** _

Luz smiled to herself, as she put her phone back into her jean pocket. Her smile quickly dropped, however, when she saw the time on her wristwatch. _40 more minutes, you can do this._

\---

She could _not_ do this.

She zoned out for the rest of the lecture, not even taking notes this time. She was just so goddamn _tired_.

“-and you can send me your finished assignments per E-Mail. Remember, the deadline is on Monday at midnight. You’re dismissed, enjoy the rest of your day.”

What day was it again? Luz quickly checked the calendar on her phone, barely holding back a groan of annoyance, when it read _Friday_.

Well, looked like she’d have _something_ to do over the weekend.

As she stepped out of the University, she looked around, tapping her chin with her index finger.

_Now, where did I leave my bike?_

When she finally found it still chained against the same post she left it at, she quickly made her way home. She had half an hour before meeting with her friends, which she used to shrug off the flannel in exchange for her read beanie. She opted it was still warm enough to not need anything else.

She grabbed some money from her wallet and carelessly stuffed it into the back pocket of her pants before making her way downstairs, into the kitchen. Turning towards the fridge, she was greeted with a sticky note.

_Hope your lectures went well, there’s soup in the fridge and leftovers from yesterday. Don’t wait up for me._

_Te quiero mucho, mija._

_Mami_

Smiling, she folded the sticky note and put it aside before taking her house keys from the counter and making her way back outside, where her bike leaned against the wall. She would warm up the food in the fridge for her mom later. She knew the shifts at the hospital were long and tiring.

Not in a hurry for once, Luz decided against the short cut, instead biking down the main street. _Might as well get some exercise in while we’re at it_ , she thought, as she enjoyed the wind ruffling her hair that wasn’t covered by the beanie.

For a moment, she thought about what her mom had said last night before she went to sleep. Something she had told her so many times.

“ _Mija, you should move to campus, don’t worry about me_.”

But she _did_ worry. Her Mom barely had time for anything, her shifts usually starting as early as 6 in the morning, sometimes later, depending on the day of the week. Like today. But going into work later, also meant getting home later. Which in addition meant, less time to cook, less time to clean and most importantly less time to _relax_. So, Luz decided to stay home with her Mami, to help her around the house, cook her dinner.

Another reason she decided to stay with her, was the amount of time they spent together. Or better said, the _lack_ of time they spent together.

After Luz graduated from Highschool she was adamant on taking a gap year. She wanted to get some real job experience, which is how she ended up as apprentice to Eda. The older woman had taught her everything she knew today about coffee and how to handle extremely rude customers. It was also where she had met Willow and Gus. Back then, the Nocedas had lived in their old house, three hours away from what they today called home. After Luz finished her gap year in Bonesborough, Luz and Camilia made the decision to permanently move to that very town. And Luz couldn’t have been happier.

But _because_ Luz had been away on her break from school life, she wanted to spend as much time with her Mami as possible. Even if it only meant having rather short conversations at 1 in the morning. And she couldn’t do that if she chose to move into a dorm on campus.

She would have to sit down with her Mami when they both had time and have a long talk with her. She needed her Mom to understand that she would not leave unless her shifts eased up. By _a lot_.

As she reached the Café, she hopped off the bike, securing it so no one would get the idea of stealing it. Her bike may be old, but it was still perfectly functional, _thank you very much_.

When she opened the door to _The Owl House_ , the pleasant smell of coffee beans and cinnamon hit her square in the face, immediately spreading warmth within her chest. This Café was one of her favorite places to be. With its owl statues handcrafted from wood, the cozy seats and the jazz music that softly played from the speakers, it gave the place a homey atmosphere. Luz took a deep breath, and she couldn’t fight off the smile that came on full display even if she wanted to. _Not_ that she wanted to.

“Hey, Luz!” a voice rang out, snapping her out of her trance. She looked up and saw Gus sending her a smile, accompanied with a wave of his hand, beckoning her to come closer. She stepped up to the counter and reached out to high five her friend, who was now pretty much her height.

“ _Howdy_ , sprout,” Luz said with what was probably the worst attempt at a western accent Gus had ever heard, and he had to suppress a cringe at the sound of it.

“Your drinks are almost ready. Willow is already here,” Gus said, pointing a finger at a table not too far from the counter, “and my shift ends in 10 minutes.”

Luz nodded her head at his friend and decided to join Willow for now. After a short moment, Gus walked up to their table with both their drinks on a round tray. “Here are your regulars, ladies. One Mocha for Ms. Park, and a Vanilla Coffee for Ms. Noceda.”

“Why we do thank ye, kind sir,” Luz replied, smiling, as Gus walked back to the counter giggling to himself.

Willow rolled her eyes for what might have been the 10th time that day, as she took a sip from her hot drink. But she didn’t complain. She enjoyed her friends’ company for reasons. One of those being, neither of them gave a _flying fuck_ about coming off as too childish.

“Alright” Gus said, as he came back a few minutes later, taking the empty seat at the table with his own cup in hand.

Luz was about to speak, but someone else beat her to it. “Well, look what the owl dragged in.”

Luz’ head shot up and she was met with her old mentor staring down at her, a glint in her eyes and a smirk on her lips.

“Eda!” Luz yelped and sprang to her feet, wrapping her arms around her ex mentor’s waist, as she buried her face against the older woman’s shoulder. She was still an inch or two shorter than Eda, though she was thankful for the growth spurt she had experienced when she turned 20.

“Been quite some time, kid, wouldn’t you say?”

“It’s only been two weeks, E,” Luz mumbled against the fabric of the woman’s dark red blouse. She heard Eda snort and felt her arms finally closing around her slightly smaller frame.

“Then why are you clinging to me like the little baby I know you are?”

Luz let out a muffled groan but didn’t let go. “I am _not_ a _baby_!”

“Eh, you’ll always be a baby to _me_ ,” Eda said with a surprisingly soft look on her face. When Luz reluctantly pulled away and locked eyes with the woman in front of her, Eda’s message was clear.

 _You’ll always be my baby_.

Luz couldn’t help but grin, as she puffed out her chest proudly. Her friends snickered, while Eda shot her a wink, pulling her in for another short hug. Luz took the opportunity and lifted Eda up by her midsection, her mentor grunting in surprise and _maybe_ for lack of air.

“Luz, put the poor woman down,” Willow sighed, after she noticed that Eda was probably _way_ too happy seeing her ex-apprentice again, to tell Luz herself.

The Latina let out a displeased grumble but obeyed, putting Eda back down.

“No more _weak nerd arms_ , I see,” Eda teased, affectionately ruffling Luz’ hair and making her beanie slightly shift to the side in the process.

Luz smiled sheepishly, as she rubbed the back of her neck and shrugged her shoulders, her tan cheeks turning a faint shade of pink.

“Well, good to know, you can carry the coffee bean sacks next time I buy them in bulk. _This_ one is getting a bit too old for that,” Eda grumbled, pointing a thumb at herself before she reached her hands to her back to stretch her sore limbs. The crack that followed was demonstration enough.

“Eda, I told you to ask me if you ever needed me,” Luz said with furrowed brows.

“Now, listen, don’t go making a big deal out of it,” Eda replied, giving her a stern look. “Besides, I’m not _asking_ you, I’m _telling_ you. I’ll let you know when the day comes, kid.”

That being said, Eda gave a few pats to Luz’ head before she playfully winked at the Latina and made her way back to what was probably the storage room. Or her office. Who knew, honestly.

Sighing, Luz sat back down and grumbled to herself. “Why can’t she just _call_ me, damnit.”

Her two friends exchanged a glance, before Gus spoke up, patting her shoulder a few times. “You know how she is; she’d rather get cursed than ask for help.”

Luz could only nod. “Yeah, I know.”

She looked around the Café and only now realised how strong the longing to be back here had been before today. University had kept her way too busy for her own liking.

Right as she was about to turn her head back to her friends, a young woman stepped into the Café. She had to be around Luz’ age. The first thing that caught her eye, was the green hair, brown roots growing in from the top of her head. She was clad in a black, sleeveless turtleneck dress, that fit her just right and ended a little above her knees. The young woman strode towards the counter in her black heels, exuding an impressive amount of confidence. It was like the whole Café held its breath.

“Who’s that?” Luz nodded into the woman’s direction who was currently busy looking down at her phone, as she waited for her order. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her around here.”

Willow and Gus both looked up, only to halt in their movements. Willow’s mouth slowly dropped open, while Gus’ eyes were as wide as tennis balls at this point.

“What?” Luz asked, confused.

“That’s Amity Blight! Don’t you watch the news?” Gus whispered harshly, not taking his eyes off the other side of the Café.

“Our Tv might as well be dead. We barely use it,” Luz shrugged.

 _Amity Blight_.

She had a feeling she’d heard that name before, but she couldn’t quite figure out where she’d heard it from or in what context.

As Luz looked back up, she locked eyes with _Amity Blight_. Amber, almost golden, eyes looked directly into hers and she had to suppress a shiver at the intensity. Luz gave a small smile, followed by a weak wave of her hand.

The green haired woman only frowned, grabbing her drink, and striding back out the door, into the afternoon air.

 _Huh. How curious_.

What exactly it was that seemed to pique her curiosity, she didn’t know.


	2. Of Morning Walks & Coffee Beans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz does some research.  
> Luz and Camilia talk.  
> Luz keeps running people over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha well hello there 
> 
> *chirping in the background* 
> 
> yes i’m alive, remember when i said i would try and update at least twice a week? yes? well, forget i said that.
> 
> things came up and then writers block hit me and then more things came up and- yes you get the picture. 
> 
> with that being said i think writers block has passed, i hope. i’m not that happy with this chapter but it’ll do. 
> 
> enjoy :] 
> 
> (no beta we die like sandcorns)

For some reason Luz couldn’t help but think back to the green haired woman, as she sat at her desk. She looked down at the blank Word document on her laptop in front of her, while her mind was otherwise occupied.

 _Amity Blight_.

Why couldn’t she remember where she’d heard that name from?

She wrecked her brain, as her face scrunched up in the process before letting out a heavy sigh, when she came up with nothing yet again.

 _Might as well bite the bullet and look her up,_ she thought to herself. So, she did exactly that. Pulling up her web browser she quickly typed in the name. She had had a feeling Amity Blight was well known, as suggested by the reaction of pretty much the whole Café, but the amount of articles that popped up on her screen made her eyes widen and her mouth drop open.

There was a fully elaborated Wikipedia site.

She shook her head for a moment before she clicked on the link.

_Amity Helena Blight_

_American lawyer_

**_Born_ ** _: March 17, 1998 (age 22 years), Bonesborough, Boiling Isles, United States_

 **_Height_ ** _: 1,65 m_

 **_Nationality_ ** _: American_

 **_Education_ ** _: Hexside High School, Yale Law School_

 **_Employer_ ** _: Blight LLP_

 **_Parents_ ** _: Alador M. Blight, Odalia Blight_

 **_Siblings_ ** _: Emira Blight, Edric Blight_

A loud _smack_ rang out, as Luz slapped her flat hand against her forehead. Of course, that’s how the lawyers name sounded familiar to her. She didn’t know all too much about Edric and Emira, though she had talked to them quite a few times, since they both worked part time at the Bonesborough Library. They had dropped Amity’s name once or twice, she now recalled.

As Luz scanned the rest of the page, she grew curious about Blight LLP, clicking on the blue, underlined name. It looked like the law firm had its headquarters in Bonesborough itself.

_Blight LLP is one of the highest ranking and most prestigious law firms in the US by revenue._

When Luz looked at said revenue, the only thing she could come up with was a whispered _dios mío_. 2.92 billion USD (2019). That sure was a lot of money. Luz quickly returned to the rest of the search results, scanning the various articles that were presented to her as if on a silver platter.

As far as she could tell from the provided information, Amity had so far only been active for about a year, and despite that, had quickly made a name for herself.

 _I would not want to go up against that woman,_ Luz thought, leaning back in her desk chair and closing the web browser.

There was something else nagging at her brain, however. While Gus’ reaction had been similar to everyone else’s, eyes radiating with awe, Willow’s shocked face had suggested the complete opposite. She would have to ask her friend about it sometime.

Luz cracked her knuckles before she went back to her empty document, forcing herself to at least start on her assignment that was due on Monday night. After all, the faster she got this done, the more time she could spend with her friends.

* * *

It was around midnight when Luz finally closed her laptop with a heavy sigh and stepped away from her desk. Her mom would be home soon, so she decided to change into her blue pajama shorts and white shirt before making her way out of her room and into the kitchen.

She found the soup she was looking for, suddenly realizing she had yet to eat something herself, as her stomach let out a low rumble of confirmation. While she waited for the soup to heat up on the stove, Luz grabbed two bowls from the cupboard and was about to open the fridge, when she heard the door to the house open and close.

“Mami?”

There was shuffling and then a tired, “Si, soy yo.”

Luz closed the fridge, a bottle of water in her hand, and walked back to the stove right as Camilia stepped into the kitchen. “Mija, how many times do I have to tell you to lock the door when you’re home.”

“Oops, lo siento,” Luz said, motioning for her mom to sit down at the table, “I promise it won’t happen again.”

Camilia, who had heard that more times than she was willing to count, mumbled something under her breath, but obliged, watching as Luz poured the hot soup into the bowls before placing them on the table. “Gracias, mija.”

Luz simply nodded with a smile, as they both dug into their food. Casting a glance at her mom every once in a while, she had to restrain herself from heavily sighing. Her mom looked tired, dark bags starting to form under her eyes. She knew her mami loved her job almost as much as she loved Luz, but they both knew how exhausting it was.

“How was your day? Anything interesting happen?” her mom asked after they both finished eating. Luz shrugged and told her about the boring lectures, the assignment she had started working on and what had occurred at the Café earlier that day.

“I’ve heard of her,” Camilia said after Luz dropped Amity’s name. “Smart little thing.”

Luz nodded with a low hum. _Smart might be an understatement_ , she thought.

She got up and placed the now empty bowls in the sink, getting started on washing them, as Camilia stood from the table and walked up to her. “I’m heading to bed now, mija, you should do the same.”

“Buenas noches, mamá,” Luz said, placing a kiss on her mom’s cheek, before turning back to the sink, as she listened to her mom’s footsteps fading away. When she was done washing and drying the used dishes, she put them back into their respective places before she made her way back to her own room.

As she flopped down onto her bed, she grabbed her phone and opened Willow’s chat.

**_luz_** : hey will, u still up?

She knew there was a good chance that her friend was already asleep, considering the time and that contrary to herself, Willow was an early sleeper. So she was surprised to see three dots appear on her screen almost instantly.

**_willow_** : yeah can’t sleep

 ** _willow_** : why u still awake?

**_luz_** : i was waiting for my mami

Luz wasn’t sure if she should bring it up, but at the same time she was worried for her best friend, and maybe she was a little curious too, so she typed the message out anyway.

**_luz_** : u seemed a bit distant after the café today, r u okay?

For the next two minutes she watched the three dots appear and disappear again. She was about to apologize and drop it, when her screen lit up with a reply.

**_willow_** : maybe i’ll tell u sometime

 ** _willow_** : but i’m not ready to talk about it yet

Luz hummed thoughtfully. Whatever it was that was bothering Willow, it must have been a bigger deal than she had anticipated.

**_luz_** : take ur time

 ** _luz_** : we’re here for u

**_willow_** : thanks luz. talk tmrw?

**_luz_** : u bet, goodnight

After closing the chat, Luz pulled out her charger and connected it to her phone, like she forgot to do more often than not, before placing the device on her nightstand. Lying on her back and staring at the ceiling, she hoped Willow would talk to her about whatever it was that was eating at her, when she was ready to do so. Luz had always been rather overprotective of the people she cared about, and her friends were no exception.

 _Ah, Eda would definitely be proud_ , she thought, as she rolled over in her bed and tucked the covers up to her chin before closing her eyes.

* * *

To Luz there was nothing better than fresh pancakes on a Saturday morning. The sun light slipped through the windows and warmed her skin, as she poured orange juice into two glasses.

She was so focused on her work, that she jumped at the sudden “Good morning, mija.”

Looking up from the counter, she saw her mom walk into the kitchen, an amused smile stretched across her face. “Someone’s jumpy today.”

Luz chuckled, as she grabbed the pan and to the surprise of both successfully flipped the pancake without any _incidents._ Yes, there had been _incidents_ , and what about it.

“Smells good,” Camilia said before taking a bite out of her pancake. No syrup, no toppings; nothing. Just plain, good ol’ pancakes. Meanwhile, Luz’ own pancakes were drowning in sugary maple syrup, earning her a playful scold from her mom. She muffled a chuckle as she shoved half of a pancake into her mouth, “Iph gud.”

Camilia shook her head at her daughter’s antics but frankly had to agree. Luz was a good cook, having learned most of her recipes from Camilia herself. That didn’t mean nothing ever went wrong when Luz was in charge of the kitchen.

There had been multiple scenarios of a younger Luz setting a kitchen towel on fire, spilling contents all over the place, getting food stuck on the ceiling, and one occasion of Luz accidentally dropping a rather heavy pan onto her foot. To say she learned from her mistakes would be a lie, to say the least.

“I was thinking we could take a walk through the park, since it’s my day off,” Camilia said, as she shook her head free from the memories, and put her cutlery down. She looked at her daughter whose mouth was currently stuffed with the remains of her last pancake, patiently waiting for a response. All Luz could do in that moment was give an eager nod before trying to swallow. She almost choked but she managed.

“Sounds good, I’ll just go get ready,” Luz said, moving the plates to the sink and dashing to her room. She was glad she finally had some time to spend with her mom; days off were rare.

Quickly she threw her pajamas into a corner of her room and slipped into some black sweatpants, pulling her favorite purple cat hoodie over her head. Grabbing her phone from the nightstand, she rushed back downstairs to see her mom already dressed in her light coat and shoes.

Luz made quick work of slipping into her white sneakers and nodded to herself, “I’m ready.”

The Nocedas left the house and lazily made their way towards the Bonesborough Park. It was a nice day, the warm rays of sunshine made up for the soft autumn breeze that ever so slightly ruffled through Luz’ short hair. The colored leaves that were starting to fall from the trees quietly crunching under her shoes. She loved autumn. She shared that with her mami.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Camilia said softly, as they reached the entrance to the park. It wasn’t too big, though it wasn’t considered small either. It was the perfect size for a lazy Saturday morning walk.

“Yeah, it is,” Luz mumbled, a content smile playing on her lips, as the two continued their walk.

They didn’t talk much. They didn’t need to. Granted, they barely had time for full length conversations as it was, due to Camilia’s shifts, but they enjoyed simply being in each other’s presence. It was a comfortable silence. One that neither felt like breaking for the time being.

After they sat on one of the many benches found around the park, Luz closed her eyes, suddenly realizing she maybe should’ve brought a jacket with her. Even though it was sunny, the soft autumn breeze was starting to turn into a rather chilly autumn breeze. One that sent shivers down her spine. Despite loving autumn with all her heart, she really just preferred the heat of summer.

“Have you thought about moving to campus yet?”

Luz sighed before she opened her eyes. She knew they had to have this conversation. “Mami, I’m not moving out.”

“Mija, it would make it a lot easier for you to get to your lectures. I’ll be fine on my own, as long as you take care of yourself-“

“Stop,” Luz said sternly. Camilia gave her daughter a quick side glance before she resumed letting her eyes drift around the park.

Luz followed her example and for a minute, she let the silence fill the air around them. However, she quickly gave up on that when she felt the tension between them growing. As she let out a frustrated huff, Luz moved her hand to place it over her mom’s. “Lo siento, mami. I didn’t mean to snap,” Luz said quietly, shaking her head at herself and pressing a fist against her forehead.

Camilia looked to the side, her eyes softening not even a second after settling on her daughter. With her other hand, she removed Luz’ fist from her face and gave it a comforting squeeze. They sat there, hands intertwined, until Camilia felt her daughter relax once again. She knew Luz had a tendency to be hard on herself for minor occurrences. “I just want what’s best for you, mija, you can’t fault me for that,” she said softly, waiting for Luz to meet her gaze.

When she did, Camilia felt the sudden urge to run her fingers through Luz’ hair, just like she used to when she was younger. And so she did, lifting her unoccupied hand and softly pushing a few strands of uncombed hair out of her daughter’s eyes.

“I know, mami,” Luz mumbled, looking down onto her hand that was still grasping her mom’s, “but I can’t just leave you alone. You can’t fault me for that, either.”

A heavy sigh escaped Camilia, as she felt warmth surround her heart, almost making up for the chilly air. She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss onto Luz’ forehead, hoping it would translate what she didn’t have the words for in that moment. She knew she was successful when she felt soft, warm hands squeezing her own.

She loved her daughter more than anything on this planet.

And Luz loved her just as much.

* * *

“Luz, are you done anytime soon?” Willow asked, as she walked past her and Gus with yet another sack of coffee beans. She grunted softly, trying to readjust the weight in her arms. “Just a few more, Will, I’ll be right there.”

Willow only rolled her eyes, while Gus gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up.

After the heart to heart with her mom, they had decided to walk back home, hands intertwined the whole way. When she had received texts later that afternoon from Willow _and_ Eda, both telling her to get her butt over to The Owl House, she had made sure to check the fridge for anything she had to go to the store for, before she left. Luckily, there seemed to be enough left for the next two days, so she didn’t worry about it all too much. Camilia had retired to her room, saying she could use another nap.

Now, here she was, moving sacks of coffee beans from the truck outside into the storage room, like Eda had asked her to, while her friends were ~~patiently~~ _impatiently_ waiting for her to return at their usual table. Granted, she hadn’t expected for Eda to take her up on her offer to help so soon. But somehow, she was glad the woman did.

Gus had his day off, which meant they had more time to catch up and maybe go look at the preparations for a festival that would be taking place soon. It was a yearly occasion in Bonesborough, none of them really knew how it came to be, but they made sure to go every year, _together_.

“I’m glad you got over your weak nerd arms, this way I can just order you around to do it _for_ me,” Eda cackled from where she was leaning against the counter, motioning to the big, brown pack Luz was currently trying to get through the door of the storage room. She froze in her movements for a split second, her eyebrows furrowing together, “Thanks?”

“Anytime, kid,” Eda said, slapping her hand against Luz’ back and almost making the girl lose her balance. For an _old, rusty owl_ , as Eda liked to call herself, the woman sure had quite some strength left in her.

 _Wonder if she actually needs help with this_ , Luz thought for a moment, before she finally managed to get through the door. She dropped the coffee beans with a sigh and placed them next to the four other sacks she had carried inside, before making her way back to get the last one.

Passing her friends, she leaned down so she could lower her voice. “I’m pretty sure Eda is forcing me to do this only so she can play Hexes Told’em on her phone,” she aggressively whispered, looking over her shoulder to where Eda stood.

“Okay, first of all, it’s Hexes _Hold’em_. Second of all, you should’ve figured that out a lot sooner, but I’m not surprised you didn’t. And lastly, _please_ hurry up, this is my third coffee,” Willow listed, counting down on her fingers, before shooting Luz an extra friendly smile.

Luz blinked a couple times. Not sure what reply to give, she nodded once and left out the door, where the truck stood. “Last one, kid,” the deliverer said, jumping down from the back of the vehicle, before he moved said last sack of coffee beans and placed it in Luz’ awaiting arms.

 _I’m 23, that hardly counts as ‘kid’_ , Luz thought with a scoff, before ordering her legs to move back inside the Café.

Sure, Eda called her kid, but that was _Eda_. She had known Eda since she was a teenager and the woman had grown on her faster than anyone else she’d ever met. She didn’t quite know how to describe what Eda meant to her. It was hard to even try and figure out in her own head and all she could come up with whenever she thought about it, was one word. _Family_.

 _Yeah, family sounds about right_ , Luz thought, her eyes softening as they settled on the older woman once again.

She probably should’ve paid more attention to where she was going instead of getting stuck in her head, like she so often did. As a result, she barely had enough time to react before she bumped into someone right in front of her.

“Hey, _watch_ it, nitwit!”

Luz stumbled back a few steps, almost dropping the heavy coffee beans in the process. “I’m so sorry, miss, I- I wasn’t watching where I was going!”

She was about to drop her package and offer a helping hand, when she recognized the flash of green hair.

 _Oh mierda_ , she thought, as cold, amber eyes practically impaled her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> these chapters are getting longer and longer help- 
> 
> listen camilia is a great mom and i will die on that hill, no you cannot convince me otherwise. 
> 
> pls feedback is so appreciated it motivates and helps me improve 
> 
> ksjsks thanks for reading
> 
> (ps: don’t worry we’re going to court soon)


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